Gerbera plant named ‘MAJPUR21AA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant named ‘MAJPUR21AA’, characterized by its broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous inflorescences with reddish purple-colored ray florets; upright and moderately strong peduncles; good garden performance and relative tolerance to low temperatures.

Botanical designation: Gerbera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MAJPUR21AA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant, botanically known as Gerbera hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘MAJPUR21AA’.

The new Gerbera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new garden Gerbera plants with numerous attractive inflorescences, resistant to cold temperatures and good garden performance.

The new Gerbera plant originated from a cross-pollination during the spring of 2015 of a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 10T0518, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 13T10301, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gerbera plant was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands during the summer of 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gerbera plant by vegetative terminal cuttings and in vitro meristem culture since the autumn of 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Gerbera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gerbera have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘MAJPUR21AA’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘MAJPUR21AA’ as a new and distinct Gerbera plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Numerous inflorescences with reddish purple-colored ray         florets.     -   5. Upright and moderately strong peduncles.     -   6. Good garden performance and relative tolerance to low         temperatures.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger inflorescences with         larger ray florets than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have reddish purple-colored ray         florets whereas plants of the female parent selection have         white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have shorter and narrower leaves         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have lighter reddish purple-colored         ray florets than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Gerbera can be compared to plants of the Gerbera hybrida ‘Sweet Fiesta’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of ‘Sweet Fiesta’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have slightly larger inflorescences         than plants of ‘Sweet Fiesta’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Gerbera are darker reddish         purple in color than ray florets of plants of ‘Sweet Fiesta’.     -   3. Plants of the new Gerbera have thicker peduncles than plants         of ‘Sweet Fiesta’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gerbera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gerbera plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘MAJPUR21AA’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in 17-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Gerbera production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 15° C. Plants were six months old when the photograph was taken and 20 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gerbera hybrida ‘MAJPUR21AA’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 10T0518, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 13T10301, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings and in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, by cuttings, summer and             winter.—About 3.5 weeks at minimum temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, by tissue culture, summer and             winter.—About 2.5 to 3 weeks at minimum temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by cuttings, summer             and winter.—About 3.5 weeks after rooting, at temperatures             about 20° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by tissue culture,             summer and winter.—About five to six weeks at temperatures             about 20° C. to 26° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous perennial that is typically grown as             a container or garden plant; broadly upright and uniformly             mounding plant habit; roughly flattened globular in shape;             numerous leaves arranged in basal rosettes; dense and bushy             habit; inflorescences held above the foliar plane on erect             and strong basal peduncles; moderately vigorous growth habit             and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 23.1             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About             35.4 cm.         -   Plant width or spread.—About 46.6 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, basal, simple.         -   Length.—About 16 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Shallowly repand to shallowly angulate or entire;             proximally, coarsely and irregularly angulate; sinuses             shallow and parallel.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Main vein, sparsely to             moderately pubescent; strongly rugose; moderately glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately to densely             pubescent; slightly rugose; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker             than 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 191B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to a blend of 147C and 191B; venation, close             to 144C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Densely             pubescent; slightly glossy. Strength: Moderately strong to             strong. Color, upper surface: Close to N144C. Color, lower             surface: Close to 150A; towards the base, close to 151A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Composite inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; solitary semi-double             inflorescences borne on upright and moderately strong             peduncles and held above the foliar plane; ray and disc             florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences             face upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about three months             after planting; under garden conditions in The Netherlands,             plants flower from spring to late autumn; plants can be             flowered year-round in the greenhouse.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Depending on the temperature,             inflorescences last about two to four weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             about ten inflorescences per plant at one time.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2 cm. Diameter: About             1.9 cm. Shape: Broadly oblong. Texture and luster: Densely             pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 138B; immature ray             florets, close to 145A and 145B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.9 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.1 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Broadly rhomboidal. Color: Close to 155A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 160 per             inflorescence; ray florets arranged in about four outer             whorls and two inner whorls of smaller ray florets.             Orientation: Proximally, about 30° from vertical; distally,             about 60° from vertical. Outer whorls of ray florets:             Length: About 3.8 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Narrowly obtuse. Base: Narrowly cuneate.             Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety;             slightly carinate; slightly glossy. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 71A; apices, close to NN155D. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 70B tinged with close to             N144B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74A; towards             the apex, close to N74B; apical margins and apices, close to             155A; venation, close to N74A and towards the apex, close to             N74B; color does not change with subsequent development.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to a blend of 145C and             150D; towards the margins, close to 157A; venation, close to             a blend of 145C and 150D; color does not change with             subsequent development. Inner whorls of ray florets: Length:             About 2.5 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly             oblanceolate. Apex: Narrowly obtuse. Base: Narrowly cuneate.             Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety;             slightly carinate; slightly glossy. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 70A; apices, close to NN155D. When             opening, lower surface: Close to a blend of 70B and 70C.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 70B; apical margins             and apices, close to NN155D; venation, close to 70B; color             does not change with subsequent development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 70C; towards the margins and apex,             close to NN155D; venation, close to N155B; color does not             change with subsequent development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 200 disc             florets at center of the inflorescence arranged in about a             six-whorl spiral. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 6 mm.             Shape: Tubular with one or two narrow free lobes and one             broader free lobe. Apex: Acute and recurved; upper 20%,             free. Base: Lower 80%, fused. Margin, free lobes: Entire;             not undulate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately velvety; matte. Texture, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly velvety; slightly glossy. Color: When             opening and fully opened, inner surface: Distally, close to             70B and apex, close to NN155D; mid-section and base, close             to 157D. When opening and fully opened, outer surface:             Distally, close to 70C to 70D and apex, close to NN155D;             mid-section and base, close to 157D.         -   Pappus.—Quantity of hairs per floret: Numerous. Length:             About 6 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Texture and luster:             Soft; matte. Color: Close to 162D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 60 per             inflorescence arranged in about three whorls. Length: About             1.5 cm. Width (at base): About 2.75 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex:             Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely pubescent; matte.             Color, upper surface: Close to 143B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 32.1 cm. Diameter: Proximally,             about 4 mm; distally, about 3 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Angle: About 15° from vertical. Texture and luster:             Densely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 144A;             distally, close to 146B and proximally, close to 152D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on disc florets             only): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             6 mm. Filament color: Close to 157D. Anther shape: Linear;             basifixed. Anther size: About 3.5 mm by 0.3 mm. Anther             color: Close to 13A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 13B. Gynoecium (present on ray and disc florets):             Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: Ray florets, about             8 mm, and disc florets, about 10 mm. Stigma diameter: About             0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft. Stigma color: Close to N155B.             Style length: Ray florets, about 7.5 mm, and disc florets,             about 9.5 mm. Style color: Close to N155B. Ovary color:             Close to 155A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Gerbera. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and     pests common to Gerbera plants has not been observed on plants of     the new Gerbera grown under commercial production conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gerbera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures ranging     from about −5° C. to about 35° C. and to be cold hardy to USDA     Hardiness Zone 7. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gerbera plant named ‘MAJPUR21AA’ as illustrated and described. 